Friday, March 17, 2017

What a Churlish Prick

The handshake photo-op is an obligatory part of a foreign leader's visit to the White House. The Cheeto Benito already has a well-earned reputation for the vigor of his hand clasp.

Which is why it was so awkward today when German chancellor Angela Merkel sat down with Trump for the standard photo-op. As photographers repeatedly called "handshake", the Great Orange Bloat ignored them - and the chancellor.

What a churlish prick although it was good to see how uncomfortable Donald Trump can plainly look in the presence of a powerful woman unwilling to put up with his bullshit.

Update: I spent a while looking at photos of Merkel shaking hands/greeting various prime ministers, presidents and such. There was something that really came through. She isn't afraid to show when she likes someone and she's even less able to conceal when she doesn't. Obama, big time. Bush Jr., yeah, him too. Trudeau, absolutely. Putin? An icy stare down. Berlusconi, ditto, Erdogan too. Now Trump.

I like Merkel because she put the screws to those deadbeat Greeks. Shut down their banks when the people voted to get out of the debt prison euro-oligarchs put them in. She taught them who's boss!

A good read: what 'orthodox' (establishment) economists like Wren-Lewis and Krugman have to say on Germany's whopping trade surplus that's killing the entire euro-zone economy. (Forces other countries to run trade deficits and accompanying budget deficits – which must be handled with spending cuts.)

Merkel better enjoy her days in the sun. When the euro-zone collapses, history will not look so kindly on the policies she was involved in that led up to it.